roberts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. P. ROBERTS.

CASH REGISTER.

No. 483,946. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

Inventor W. 52;

Witnesses G W1 V? E Attorney (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. P. ROBERTS.

CASH REGISTER.

No. 483.946. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

............. llllllllllll: 1::

WEE-la Inventor Attorney Wi nes es: w. xi 4 J W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD F. ROBERTS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROBERTS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,946, dated October 4, 1892.

Application filed April 9, 1892. Serial N0. 428,523. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. ROBERTS, of Columbus, Franklin county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to improvements in that class of cash-registering instruments in which there is a series of finger-keys, one key for each individual value to be dealt with, the manipulation of a given key causing an appropriate advance of a reading-wheel, the reading-wheel showing the sum of the values of the several keys which may have been manipulated,the manipulation of a key serving, also, to unlock a money-till and to expose to View a tablet showing the value of thekey which has been manipulated.

In my improved cash-registers I provide a group of finger-keys corresponding with certain values, and I cause all of these keys to count upon a single wheel pertaining to that group. I arrange a second group of keys of higher values than the first group, and Icause these keys to count upon a second readingwheel, and soon for as high values as desired, using several groups of keys and a countingwheel for each group, the machine thus having the aspect of several separate cash-registers set side by sideone for dealing with small sums and another for larger sums and another for still largersums; but I so arrange transfer mechanism that whenever the sum counted upon the low-value register shall equal the unit of the next register that unit shall be transferred from the lower register to the higher one, and so on through the series. I provide against two keys of a single group being depressed at once I provide against any key of a group being operated unless all of the other keys of that group are in normal position. I provide against a key returning to normal position until ithas made a full stroke. I provide against a key being depressed before it has reached the normal position. I provide a peculiar till-locking arrangement. I provide against the overthrow of the count-wheels as the result of momentum. I provide a peculiar system for admeasnring the count. I provide for the exposure of the usual tablets, but do not illustrate or describe them, as ordinary arrangements maybe employed.

My improvements will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cash register exemplifying my improvements, the inclosing case and the cross-shafts, rods, &c., appearing in vertical section in the plane of line 1 of other figures; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the mechanism which is mounted upon the axial-shaft of the count-wheels, the keys appearing in vertical section in the plane of line 2 of other figures; Fig. 3, a plan of the till-cover and the key-buttons; Fig. 4, a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing only those features directly pertinent to the movement and admeasurement of the movement of a counting-wheel under the action of the finger-keys belonging to that counting-wheel; Fig. 5, a bottom View of the measuring-wards which determine how far each key shall advance the count-wheel; Fig. 6, a side elevation like Fig. 4, but limited to those parts directly pertinent to the transfer of valuesfrom one group of mechanisms to the count-wheel belonging to the group next higher in value; and Fig. 7, a front elevation of the pawl-blades of one key-group, these pawlblades being entirely omitted from Fig. 2, the oifice of these pawl-blades being to insure full stroke to the keys.

I have chosen to exemplify my present improvements in a cash-register having three groups of keys and three counting-wheels, the keys of the first group counting, respectively, five, ten, fifteen, and twenty cents, the next group twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five cents, one dollar, one dollar and twenty-five cents, one dollar and fifty cents, and one dollar and seventy-five cents, the third group two, four, six, and eight dollars, as will be best understood from Fig. 3. Then values which have been fingered into the first group reach twenty-five cents, that amount becomes transferred to the count-wheel of the group above, any remainder staying on the countwheel of the lower group. lVhen total values which have gone to the second count-wheel by the fingering of the keys of that group 01' by transfers from the count-Wheel below reach two dollars, that amount is transferred to the third count-wheel. In other words, the lowest counting-unit pertinent to a given group of keys is equal to the sum of the highest and lowest key values of the group below. Particular description will be made of the lowest group and later the relation of groups and the transfer system may be better explained. In followingthe drawings attention may be generally directed to Fig. 1, the other figures being referred to only when necessary.

In the drawings, A indicates rigid frame parts of the machine; B, the usual inclosing case; 0, a shaft disposed across the machine and serving to support the count-wheels and various rockers; D, apivot-shaft of the fingerkeys; E, a group of four finger-keys pivoted on this shaft and extending rearwardly under the shaft 0, this group of keys having values, respectively, as indicated in Fig. 3viz., five, ten, fifteen, and twenty centsthe rear ends of these keys being adapted for engagement with the usual tablet mechanism used in this class of machines; F, arest-bar on which the rear ends of all the keys rest when in normal position; G, a stop-barover all the keys, to limit their upward motion to a uniform maximum; H, a bit projecting upwardly from each key about under the shaft 0; J, a count-wheel loose on the shaft 0 and provided with ratchetteeth and bearing a reading for each tooth, as indicated in Fig. 2, each tooth of the ratchet representing the value of the lowest key of the group-viz., five centsthe reading showing the value of one tooth, two teeth, three teeth, four teeth, and then beginning again at zero, and so on, this group of readings being repeated continuously around the wheel, whose number of teeth is immaterial so long as it is a multiple of five; K, a fixed pointer or reading-guage at which the wheel reading is to be made; L, a rocker mounted loose on the shaft O and having at its lower end a horizontal bar resting somewhat above all of the four keys of the group, the upper end of this rocker having a rearward projection, this rocker being hereinafter termed the dragrocker; M, a spring acting to hold this dragrocker L in normal position with its cross-bar in lowest position; N, a second rocker loose on the shaft 0 and extending up alongside of and in front of the upperportion of the dragrocker L, the independence of the two rockers being best understood from Fig. 4, this rocker N being hereinafter termed the countrocker; O, a pawl pivoted to the drag-rocker L and hooking over a stud on the countrocker N, the hook being of such angle that it will disengage from the pin in case of excessive pulling strain upon the hook, this pawl being hereinafter termed the drag-pawl P, a pawl pivoted to the count-rockerN and engagingtheteeth of the count-wheel J, this pawl being termed the count-pawl; Q, a spring attached to the drag-rockerL and count-rocker N and tendingto draw the count-rocker toward the drag-rocker; R, a fixed back-stop limiting the rearward motion of the count-rocker, the count-rocker N normally resting against this stop; S, a stop-pawl to prevent the backward turning of the count-wheel J; T, a spring-dog pivoted to the count-rocker N and adapted to swing its lower end directly over the countpawl P, the upper end of this dog being in position to be engaged at its front by the upper end of the drag-rocker L; U, a ward-plate formed with the count-rockerN and presenting itself just in front of and just above the bits II of the keys, the wards of the plate corresponding with the number of keys in the group and being stepped, as seen in Fig. 5, so that the ward pertaining to the five-cent key is a certain distance in advance of its bit, the ward pertaining to the ten-cent key a proper greater distance, and so on, these wards being hereinafter termed the countwards; V, a stepped ward-plate formed with the count-rocker N and standing over the key-bits II, which are to pass up in front of this plate, the ward pertaining to the five-cent key being a certain distance above its bit and a certain distance forward of the rear edge of the bit, while the ward pertaining to the ten-cent key is farther up and farther forward, &c., as seen in Fig. 5, these wards being hereinafter termed the guard-wards; WV, a segment forming a part of each key and provided with ratchet-teeth half facing one way and the other half the other way; X, a pair of united pawl-blades extending across over the four segments WV of the group and adapted to rock so that either blade may engage the segments, the front blade normally engaging the segments; Y, a spring connected with an arm on these pawl-blades X and acting in a line cutting the center of oscillation of the pawl-blades so that the spring will tend to rock the blades in whichever direction they may be tipped beyond the neutral position; Z, an arm projecting from the drag-rocker L and provided with two shoulders, as seen in Fig. 7, these shoulders engaging the pawlblades X and adapted, when the drag-rocker L moves clear forward, to tip the pawl-blades X so that the rear blade will go into action and when the drag-rocker L moves clear back to tip the pawl-blades so that the front blade will go into action; a, the till formed in the front lower part of the case of the apparatus; 1), the till-cover hinged at its rear; 0, aspring tending to throw the till-cover open 3 d, a rearward projection of the till-cover below its hinge; e, a pivoted lock-dog with its upper end standing normally under the projection (Z and thus preventing the lifting of the tillcover; f, a hook projecting forwardly from the lower portion of the locking-(loge in such normal position that if the till-cover were swung open the projection d would clear the hook, but if the dog he swung back to release the projection (l the hook will presentitself in the path of the projection cl and arrest the opening motion of the till-cover; g, a rocker pivoted to the shaft D and connected at its lower end with the locking-dog 77., a bar attached to this rocker g and extending along under all of the keys of the apparatus forward of the shaft D, so that if any key be depressed the locking-dog e will disengage from under the projection d; j, a third rocker loose on shaft 0, the upper arm of this rocker projecting up alongside the rear face of the count-wheel J, the lower arm extending downwardly and then horizontally along the machine to a point under the count-wheel t, belonging to the next group 8 of keys, this rocker j being the transfer-rocker and being most clearly seen in Fig. 6; k,a pawl-carrier attached at its forward end to the lower portion of the transfer-rocker j and having its rear end horizontally guided by the stop-rod F; Z, a spring tending to press the lower end of the transfer-rocker j forwardly and its upper end rearwardly; m a tipping-pawl mounted on the pawl-carrier 7t and presenting its face forwardly; it, a rocker rocking on shaft 0 and having a horizontal bar resting upon all of the keys of the apparatus forward of the pawl m, this rocker being hereinafter termed the long rocker; 0, alightlink pivoted at its rear end to the frame and having at its front end a forwardly-presenting shoulder engaging to the rear of a pin on the upper end of the transfer-rocker j and serving to prevent the spring Zfrom moving the rocker, this link having also at its forward end an incline presenting itself near the rear face of the count-wheel J; 19, an annular series of pins projecting from the rear face of the count-wheel J, one pin for each zero of the reading of the count-wheel, these pins being in such position that as the count-wheel turns forward they will successively lift the link 0 and disengage its shoulder from the transferrocker j, this lifting taking place quicklyjust as reading 2O comes to the reading-gage K; g, a spring tending to hold the long rocker n in its downward position on the keys; 1*, a spring tending to hold the lock-dog e in looking position and to hold the bar hin its upper position; 5, Figs. 2 and 3, a second group of keys, the lowest having a value of twenty-five cents and increasing by that amount as a units value to and including one dollar and seventy-five cents; If, the count-wheel acted on by this group of keys 5 in the same manner as group E acted on the first count-wheel J, this second count-wheel if being graduated on the same principle as the first oneviz., a zero, then the unit of the group, then two units, and so on, starting again at zero after $1.75 has been shown; u, a third group of keys beginning at two dollars and increasing by that as a unit to and including eight dollars; Q], the count-wheel belonging to this group of keys, its reading beginning at zero and reading by increases of two dollars as a unit in consecutive series, and w a pawl pivoted to the transfer-rocker j and engaging the second count-wheel t.

Attention will first be confined to the first group E of keys, of which five cents is the unit, represented by each tooth of the count wheel. If the five-cent key be operated full stroke, it will, lifting the horizontal bar of the drag-rocker L, move the upper end of the drag-rocker L forwardly. As the drag-rocker moves forwardly the drag-pawl O pulls the count-rocker N along with it and the countpawl P will advance the count-wheel J. The rising of the key brings its bit H in front of its count-ward U, and as the count-rocker N moves forwardly the count-ward U moves backwardly and very early makes contact with the bit. This contact takes place when the count-wheel J has been advanced one tooth, representing five cents, and when this contact takes place the count-rocker N can go no farther, but the key continues to rise and the drag-rocker L continues to move forward and the count-rocker N, being unable to advance farther, the drag-pawl O disengages from its pin, the angle of engagement permitting this to happen when the strain becomes excessive, and the drag-rocker L goes on full stroke, leaving the count-rocker N in a position of advance corresponding to one tooth of the count-wheel J. WVhen the keyis released after making its full stroke, it goes back to normal position and spring M restores the rockers to normal position and the dragpawl 0 will again engage its pin; Assuming that the count-wheel J stood atzero,its reading will now be 5. If the live-cent key be again operated the count-wheel J will be advanced another tooth and the reading will be 10. in short, each key movement will advance the count-wheel J, but the count-ward U, pertinent to this key, prevents the count-wheel J being advanced more than one tooth. If the ten-cent key be operated, the action will be the same as with the five-cent key except that the ten-cent count-ward being farther back from its bit H the count-rocker N will be dragged a distancerepresenting two teeth before the drag-pawl O lets go. In this way, while the keys have uniform strokes and move the drag-rocker L a maximum distance each stroke, the count-wards U cause the strokes to be effective upon the count-rocker N for only such proportion of the stroke as is pertinent to the value of the individual keys.

The three count-wheels are operated by their appropriate keys in the manner just indicated. Consequently any given value found upon anykey maybe registered by operating that key, the count going into the countwheel pertinent to that key. A key of each group may be operated at one time and count upon all three of the wheels. Thus four dollars and sixty-five cents may be counted by operating the four-dollar key, the fifty-cent key, and the fifteen-cent key at one time or in immediate succession in any order, and

V at fifteen cents.

the counting will be apportioned among the three wheels, each wheel counting only for the key of its group.

As to transfers or adding forward, the first count-wheel J reads no higher than twenty cents. Assume count-wheel t to stand at zero and assume the first count-wheel J to stand If the five-cent key be now depressed, wheel J will advance a tooth and read 20. As this advance of the wheel takes place a pin 19 lifts link 0, thus releasing the transfer rocker j. Spring Z instantly presses the lower end of transfer-rocker j forward and pawl m will come near to or against the long rocker-bar n. This movement of the transfer-rocker jhas done no counting but has simply set the transfer-rockerj into condition to make a count. If now the five-cent key be depressed,it will cause its count-wheel J to advance a tooth, which will bring its reading to zero. Twenty cents was on this wheel and five cents has been added; but this wheel does not receive it as a count. The sum-twenty-five centsbeing equal to the unit of the next count-wheel t, is to be counted upon that second count-wheel. XVhen the five-cent key was operated, it moved the long rocker-bar n backwardly, and this bar, acting on the pawl m, moved the transfer-rocker j to normal position again and caused the transfer-pawl w to advance the second count-wheel if one tooth, thus making that count-wheel read 25. Let it be particularly noticed that transfer-pawl w engages the second, not the first count-wheel. \Vhen the transfer-rocker jthus makes its counting-stroke, the link 0 again catches and restrains it until the next pin 19 releases it. Assume now that the first count-wheel J stands at 20 and that the ten-cent key be operated. The wheel being at 2O the transfer-rocker j is released and ready for action. The ten-cent keyadvances the first count-wheel J two teeth, thus bringing the reading to 5, and the transfer-rockerj advanced the second wheel one tooth-*twentyfive centsthus accounting for all the values. There was twenty cents on thefirst count-wheel J and ten cents more has been fingered into the machine, makingatotal ofthirty cents to be accounted for. Twenty-five cents is shown on the second count-wheel and five cents on the first count-wheel J, making a total of thirty. The transfer from the second countwheel 15 to the third one is effected in the same manner. \Vhen either the first or sec ond count-wheel has reached its maximum count, its transfer is released and the next operation of the machine by any key whatwheel transfers from the group below. It should be further understood that the actual work of transfer is done when any key is operated after a preceding key action has set the transfer in condition for work. It might, therefore, occur that when the fifty-cent key, for instance, was operated to count fifty cents into the second wheel, that very action of the key caused a transfer from the group below to that count-wheel t. Twenty-five cents is the tooth-unit of the second count-wheel '6, and the fifty-cent key in making its normal count counts in two of these units; but the transfer calls for the third unit and therefore the fifty-cent key must count in three units. How this is done will be understood from Fig. 1 when it is noticed that long rocker it, which drives the transfer-rockerj, rests on the keys and begins work at once when any key rises, and its work never exceeds one-tooth degree of movement. The count-rocker L, which takes the counts from the keys, stands above the keys, and consequently before they begin their counting work the transfer will have completed its single-tooth work. Therefore when a transfer is set for action the operation of any key will first produce the onetooth advance of transfer and then produce the farther advance pertinent to that particular key. This system may be extended as far as desired by adding count-wheels, &c. The third count-wheel 1) reading to one hundred and twenty dollars or more, if desired, by having a larger wheel, will render extension of the system unnecessary for general purposes, and for many purposes the second c3unt-wheel it, provided with appropriate readings, may be the final wheel,and in many situations a single count-wheel J and group of keys may answer the desired purpose.

As to guarding against overflow of the count-wheel by momentum, when the countrocker N goes forward and stops and the dragrocker L proceeds the proper count has been completed by the measured stroke of the count-rocker, and the momentum of the countwheelJ should not carry it farther forward than the measured distances. At the instant the drag-pawl O lets go the dog T becomes freed from the influence of the drag-rocker L, and the dog T at once takes its position over the count-pawl P, thus locking the countwheel J against further forward motion, the usual stop-pawl S preventing backward motion. The count-wheelJ stays thus locked by the dog T and count-pawl P until the dragrooker L, having completed its stroke, returns and releases the dog.

Regarding prevention of working two keys in one group at one time, if the ten-cent key be operated its bit will rise, and unless provided for its guard-ward of the series V would stand over the top of the bit; but while the bit is rising, the count-rocker and conse quently the guard-wards V are swinging to the rear, and when the bit reaches the level of. its guard-ward the guard-ward will be far enough to the rear to permit the bit to pass up and complete its stroke. It now while the ten-cent key is thus in action an attempt be made to operate the five-cent key, its bit will engage under the count-wards which have moved to the rear too far for that bit, and if an attempt be made to work the fifteencent key its bit II will catch under its guardward, which has not moved far enough to the rear for the bit H. Thus with all keys in the apparatus, neither count-wards U nor guard-wards V interfere with the rise of a key, unless another key in the group has previously risen and adjusted the wards.

Regarding insuring of full key strokes, if a key be depressed the front paw1-blade X,

' engaging its segment WV, will not prevent this movement of the key,but will prevent the return of the key so long as thispawl-blade is engaging, and it is in engaging position until the drag-rocker L has made full stroke and its arm Z tipped the pawl-blades the other way. Therefore any key started into action cannot return until it has made full stroke. hen the key has made its full stroke, it starts to rise and the rear one of the pawl-blades X, now 1n action,will not prevent the rising motion, but will prevent a depression so long as 1t engages, and it engages until the drag-pawl returns to normal position and its arm Z tips the pawl-blades again. Thus a key starting down must go clear down before it can come up again, and a key starting up must go clear up before it can start down again. Partial strokes are thus guarded against.

Regarding the till-lock, normally the tillcover I) is down and spring 0 urging it open and the locking-dog holding it closed. When any key is depressed, the dog 6 moves from under the projection d and the till-cover flies open; but the very motion that released the locking-dog brought the hook f forward, and this hook arrests the till-cover when partially open, thus preventing it rising so far as to strike the operators hand. As soon as the key is released the locking-dog e and the hook f take their normal positions and the till-cover goes clear open. WVhen the till-cover is closed by the hand, it presses the locking-dog back, and the dog then engages under the projection and locks the till-cover.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a ratchet-wheel, a pawl therefor, a rocker carrying said pawl, a dog mounted on said rocker and adapted to engage said pawl and hold it against release from the ratchet wheel, a stop, as a count-ward, to limit the forward motion of said rocker with its pawl and dog,adrag-rocker normally engaging said dog and holding it free of engagement with the pawl, a connection uniting the two rockers and adapted to yield under excessive strain, and mechanism for giving to the dragrocker a motion in excess of the motion of the first rocker, whereby when the pawl has reached its forward limit of motion it remains locked to its ratchet-wheel by the dog until the drag-rocker completes its forward stroke and returns to the dog.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a ratchet-wheel, a counting-rocker,a pawl thereon engaging the ratchet-wheel, a drag-rocker, a connection between the two rockers, adapted to yield under excessive strain, a group of finger-keys engaging and adapted to rock the d rag-rocker and provided with bits, and count-wards carried by said count-rocker and standing forward of said key-bits in position to be arrested by said keybits as the key-bits rise, the distance between the count-wards and the key-bits varying appropriately for each key.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism and a group of finger-keys acting thereon, of count-wards moving with the pawl, a yielding connection between the pawl and keys to permit the keys to continue motion after the pawl has come to rest, and bits moving with the keys and arresting the motion of the countwards and pawl.

4. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a pawl-and-ratchet n1echanism,of a group of finger-keys, a yielding connection between the pawl and all the keys of the group, whereby any key tends to give maximum pawl-stroke to the pawl, wards moving with the pawl, and a bit on each key in a position to engage a ward and prevent the fart-her advance of the pawl under the influence of said yielding connection from the key in action and also in position to be obstructed by the wards if moved by a previously-operated key.

5. In a cash-register, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a till, a cover hinged thereto and provided with a locking projection extending inwardly beyond the hinge, a spring tending to open the cover, a lockingdog engaging under the projection and preventing the opening of the cover, a group of finger-keys, and connections from said keys to said lockingdog, whereby the operation of any key releases the locking-dog from the projection.

6. In a caslrregister, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a till, a cover hinged thereto and provided with a locking projection, a spring tending to open the cover, a locking-dog engaging said projection and preventing the opening of the cover, a hook standing normally out of the path of movement of said projection and moving with the locking-dog and adapted toinove into the path of said projection and prevent the complete opening of the cover, a group of finger-keys, and connections between said keys and locking-dog and hook, whereby the depression of a key releases the locking-dog and puts the hook in arresting position.

7. In a cash-register, the combination, sub stantially as set forth, of two independent groups of finger-keys, each group having an independent count-wheel and counting mech- IIO tween said pins and bar to cause said pawl to move with the bar at each passage of a pin.

8. In a cash-register, the combination, substantially as set forth, of two independent groups of finger-keys, each group having an independent count-wheel and counting n1echanism, the keys being arranged for a degree of motion before acting on their counting mechanisms, transfer-pins in one of said count-wheels, a transfer-pawl engaging the other count-wheel, a bar arranged to be moved by any key of either group before the key acts on its own counting mechanism, and devices, substantially as described, for causing said bar to move said transfer-pawl each time one of said pins comes into action, wherebya single key-stroke mayfirst make a transfer count upon its count-wheel and then add to that count a count appropriate to the value of the key.

'9. In a cash-register, the combination, substantially as set forth, of two independent groups of finger-keys, each group having its own independent count-wheel and counting mechanism, transfer-pins in one of said count-wheels, a pawl engaging the other count- Wheol, a rocker carrying said pawl, a spring urging said rocker and pawlin one direction, a link restraining the action of the rocker and arranged to release at the passage of each of said pins so that the spring may cause the pawl to move, a bar arranged to be moved by any key of either group, and connections between said bar and rocker to cause the bar to move the rocker in the direction opposed to said spring.

10. In a cash-register, the combination, substantially as set forth, of two independent groups of finger-keys, each group having its own independent count-wheel and counting mechanism, a transfer-rocker, a pawl carried by said rocker and engaging one of said counting-wheels, pins in the other countingwheel, a transfer-bar arranged to be'moved by any key of either group and adapted to move said transfer rocker and pawl in the forward direction, a link engaging said transfer-rocker and holding it in its forward position of motion and adapted to be disengaged at the passage of each of said pins, and a spring arranged to move said rocker and pawl in its backward direction of motion when said link is disengaged.

ED\VARD F. ROBERTS.

Vitnesses:

WILL. H. HoLnns, A. L. RALs'roN. 

